Social Change

“Whether mothering is by choice or by chance, it is a fundamental value to all societies.”

The percentage of female-headed households has more than doubled since the 1970s, (more than 32% of households are led by a single woman) creating a fundamental shift in women’s role in the workplace and the increased need for financial independence. No longer is it possible for most mothers to stay home with their children. Nor is it a given, or even likely, that a woman’s income is just a supplement to that of her husband.

Whether mothering is by choice or by chance, it is a fundamental value to all societies. Yet, the data offers indisputable evidence that the cost of raising a family is steep and there is inadequate financial and social support for women who do it alone. For more information about this trend, download Benchmark II: A Study of Louisville Women and Girls 2012.